Pandya, Kohli propel India to 196-5 against Bangladesh

Hardik Pandya during his unbeaten 50 on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images

The benefits of a cracking start were never more apparent than on Saturday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Having struggled to find any sort of momentum in their four previous matches, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli found a semblance of run-scoring touch against Bangladesh in their second Group 2 clash, on the back of which India posted their highest total to date of the T20 World Cup.

The cracking 39-run opening salvo, off just 22 deliveries, set the tone and India's middle order built superbly on that to race away to 196 for five, the highest tally at the venue in this tournament. Rohit and Kohli both threw away grand starts, leaving it to the muscular middle of Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube and the brilliant Hardik Pandya to keep the charge going.

At the time of going to press, Bangladesh were 50-1 in eight overs.

Virat Kohli in full flow on Saturday

Suryakumar departs early

Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav had a rare failure after two consecutive fifties, falling second ball to impressive pacer Tanzim Hasan, who accounted for Kohli and Suryakumar in the space of three deliveries, but Pant and Dube ensured that they didn't get bogged down by slow starts while Pandya, who had showed pleasing touch in the win against Afghanistan two days back, was again in supreme form, reaching a 27-ball 50 off the last ball of the innings.

There wasn't a great deal of joy for the bowlers even though the odd ball gripped, and Bangladesh's multi-pronged spin attack didn't cover itself in a great deal of glory after Najmul Hasan Shanto opted to chase in a must-win outing for his team. Their previous highest stand in their competition was only 22, but it was clear that both Rohit and Kohli were in the mood. Rohit drove the first ball of the game, from offie Mahedi Hasan, over mid-off while Kohli, who had taken five deliveries to get off the mark against the Afghans, smashed his fourth ball, from Shakib Al Hasan, over long-on for a giant six.

Pant, Dube on fire

India had handy, but not massive stands for the first, second and fourth wickets; Pant turned a cautious start around after the drinks break with a series of superb strokes while Dube, becalmed for the first half, cut loose in a flurry of sixes during an alliance of 53 with Pandya, who struck the ball long, hard and crisply. India used the cross wind to tremendous effect, targeting the boundaries and using left-right combinations judiciously to give their bowlers a strong total to work with.